


Bad Night

by thealcoholicwitch



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Dark, Dark Betty Cooper, F/M, Protective Jughead Jones, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-17 12:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11275221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealcoholicwitch/pseuds/thealcoholicwitch
Summary: What starts off as a rough night for Jughead leads to his first encounter with Betty Cooper. As he is more and more welcomed into Betty's world, he uncovers a dark side of her that is difficult to control. Will he run away or will he join her? Welcome to a dark romantic AU of Riverdale, staring Bughead.





	1. Bad Night

**Author's Note:**

> An AU with a different timeline. Veronica and Betty are best friends with Veronica dating Archie after Betty was the one to confess she never had feelings for Archie beyond friendship. Jughead just recently reestablished his friendship with Archie and is receiving the full Archie Andrews treatment. Jughead’s dad isn’t in jail because in this universe, Cheryl Blossom’s brother wasn’t murdered but he did run away.

The night was crisp and cloudy and smelt of dead leaves. One of Riverdale’s only bars was packed and dirty, reeking of beer and regret. It wasn’t helpful that I was standing in solitude, holding a pitcher, while waiting for Archie to return from the bathroom. As people pushed up against me, I’d shift violently to my right and then to my left, beer spilling out from the top of the container. I didn’t normally drink, in fact, before this night, I’d never been drunk, but endless prodding from an overly excited Archie Andrews convinced me otherwise. I felt it in my head; the sweet sensation of euphoria that was the continuous death of my brain cells as I took another sip of beer from the plastic cup in my other hand. I liked it, and that worried me. 

“See any potential?” I was nudged from the back, a little too forcefully that I had to put a foot forward to stop myself from falling. 

“Ey’, took you long enough! What the hell? Did you jerk off in there too?” I shoved him back, laughing as he stumbled. 

“Awe, shut it.” He laughed and regained his balance. He started to look around. “Seriously. Anything?” His words blended in to one another, making it hard for an alcohol soaked mind to tell when one word ended and another began. 

“I don’t know. Should you be this watchful of other women? What would Veronica think?” I eyed him, trying to gage how far gone he was.

“Veronica is out of town with her mother and I am here as YOUR wingman. This isn’t for me, Juggy. Tonight is all about you.” He poked me on the shoulder and I shook my head, grinning. I may have been tipsy but I didn’t have as much courage as Archie was expecting me to. Had I known that reestablishing a friendship meant reestablishing my social life as well, I might have reconsidered. 

“Here, its your turn to hold this.” I shoved the pitcher into his chest and he grabbed it, some beer trickling down his shirt. He was too drunk to notice and now the pitcher was half empty. He managed to find a cup and transferred the beer to its new container, taking a huge gulp. After watching him for some time, I resolved to only holding my drink for the rest of the night. I was feeling pretty good but messy drunk just wasn’t appealing to me. 

“Hey, Archie!” I immediately recognized the voice coming from behind me and rolled my eyes, groaning. _Shit._

“Oh! Hey, Reggie!” Archie made double guns with his hands and walked past me towards the voice. I could hear the slapping of a bro hug and I didn’t dare turn around. Then my beanie was yanked off my head.

“What’s up, freak?” Reggie’s demanding voice boomed behind me and I sighed, turning around to face him. _Great. The whole football team’s here too._

“Hey, Reg.” I always knew what Reggie was about. I understood his intentions and was more than aware of the status of our relationship. Archie, on the other hand, with a hopeful heart of gold, only saw the best in people, even when it wasn’t there. 

“You know, you should really try life without this stupid hat. Maybe you’d actually get lucky for once.” Reggie held my beanie up in the air, as if he was expecting me to jump for it like a dog. 

“That’s what I tell him, but he doesn’t listen to me.” Archie, again with the damn heart of gold. He’d understood Reggie’s comment to be a real friendly gift of advice, but I knew better. As oblivious as he was, he’d unintentionally saved me a hassle by grabbing my beanie out of Reggie’s hand and giving it back to me. “But he’s attached, and I couldn’t imagine Jughead without his signature beanie.”

“Thanks, Arch.” I took my beanie back and desperately placed it back on my head. It felt weird not having it on. 

“Alright, losers. Well, I’ll catch you later, Archie.” Reggie smacked Archie on the back, some weird male social indication of a friendly goodbye. To be expected, he didn’t even look my way as he left, his pack of steroid goons following him. 

“JUGHEAD.” Archie grabbed my shoulders and started violently shaking me, to which I instantly grew wide-eyed and yelled back at him.

“WHAT?!” I’d always loved Archie’s enthusiasm but sometimes when he got a little too excited, he was overbearing. 

“C’mon. You must see SOMEONE interesting.”

“Look, Arch. My goal here isn’t –“ And that’s when she walked in. Betty Cooper, linked at the arms with Cheryl Blossom. Betty was the type of girl to care for someone who spat in her face, being why I wasn’t all too surprised to see her attending to Cheryl, despite their previous altercations I’d been witness to. Cheryl had been having a tough week, which wasn’t uncommon for her as she was pretty dramatic about every piece of information that came her way. 

“Jughead?” Archie waved a hand in front of my face. I realized I’d frozen mid sentence and probably looked crazy just staring into the distance. 

“Yeah.” I mumbled a response and Archie followed my line of sight to see what I was looking at. I’d never really spoke to Betty, just heard her and Archie in passing conversation, but every time I saw her my heart ached. I wouldn’t know what to call my feelings towards her because I didn’t understand them myself; all I knew was that the heart ache felt good. 

She’d walked up to the bar, Cheryl trailing behind her like a whimpering puppy, probably manipulating Betty into doing her bidding. She ordered them drinks and they chatted, waiting for their beverages to arrive. I wondered what they could be talking about. I couldn’t imagine their conversations to be deep considering they had nothing in common.

“It’s Betty!” Archie found what I spied and was about to call her over. My heart started pumping faster to the point of discomfort but it wasn’t because of hers and mines potential conversation. My heart started pumping faster because Betty caught someone else’s eye as well, and that someone else was advancing towards her like a brute hunting prey. Reggie’s body language dripped with mal intent and I clenched my fists, filling with rage.


	2. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead finally gets his chance with Betty and he doesn't hesitate to take it.

Reggie was approaching and I could feel the heat rising in my chest with each step he took. It was like watching the makings of a car crash; only I couldn’t look away because I wanted to stop it from happening.

“She looks preoccupied with Cheryl. That girl can be a lot.” Archie gave up on getting Betty’s attention after one attempt. I don’t think he spotted the vulture stalking its prey either, and even if he did, he probably would’ve seen it as two cubs coming to cuddle instead. 

“Yeah. I guess so.” This couldn’t be good but my hands were tied until something caused me to break them free and use them. I looked back at Archie, continuing conversation while a piece of my mind was still operating on watching over that golden hair from the corner of my eye. “Where did you say Veronica was again?”

“She and her mom had to go back to New York for the weekend. Some business with Hiram that needs to be solved. She didn’t tell me much and I don’t really pry because she doesn’t seem comfortable talking about anything having to do with her dad. I just let her open up to me about it when she’s ready, you know?” Archie had reached the point of intoxication where philosophical thoughts run deep; probably questioning whether or not it was ethical to turn a blind eye to Veronica’s pain. If he was asking for advice, he came to the wrong place. 

“Yeah, well, sounds like a tough situation.” That was a weak response, coming from me. It didn’t offer an opinion or lead the conversation to a more interesting topic, just reiterated the problem. Archie had continued talking but my brain couldn’t be in two places at once and right now it was with Betty.

Reggie stood two bodies away, leaning against the bar, probably waiting for a drink, but undoubtedly staring down Betty and Cheryl while he did. I could almost see the drool dripping down from his eager mouth. The bartender handed him a glass and he was on the move again, this time, establishing contact. He tapped Betty on the shoulder and as she turned around to face her greeter, he waved to Cheryl whose smile was less than unwelcoming. He guzzled down what was his drink and slammed the glass down on the counter, the noise from impact making Betty and Cheryl jump. _Don’t do it._ He must not have realized the extreme discomfort, or maybe he didn’t care. Stepping between them, he wrapped his arms around the back of their necks, and pulled them in close, whispering something in Betty’s ear that made her try and pull away. _That’s it._ Violence is normally not my answer considering strength is not my forte. I don’t know if it was her, the booze, or both, but something was making me feel invincible. 

“Hey! Jughead!” Archie was calling after me but his words fell empty before my ears. Rage was steaming out of my lungs and I saw red, all except for the three bodies in my sight. 

“Back off, Reggie.” I stood before him, holding my ground even after he rose to face me. 

“Hey, look girls. It’s the knight in shinning denim. Come to save the day, huh?” Reggie’s full height was a little more threatening than I would have liked. I almost had second thoughts but then I looked at Betty, her crystal eyes pleading for help, and I felt courage. 

“Perhaps you should consider that he’s saving the day from you, Reggie.” Cheryl, as obnoxious as she was, always spoke her mind, and right now, her mind was backing me up.  
“I don’t think they’re interested, Reggie. Maybe you should look somewhere else.” I was determined, and that was dangerous. 

“Is that so?” Reggie grabbed the scruff of my t-shirt with one had, bringing his face close to mine, and took my drink with the other. “Maybe you should mind your own business, Donnie Darko.” My head felt wet and I realized he poured the remainder of my beer over my head. The liquid dripped down my face, soaking my shirt. I heard cackles coming from the football team watching the whole damn interaction. “Go back to your body guard, Jughead.” He pushed me and I stumbled back a foot or two. 

“Right.” I shrugged and let a violent stream of air escape my nostrils as I tightly pressed my lips together. I turned away but something dark took over me and I pivoted back around instead, letting the force of my rotation guide my fist right into Reggie’s face. He didn’t look hurt so much as shocked, and then his face turned into pure anger and I loaded for another punch. I heard Archie approaching and he pulled me back; too bad that only gave Reggie the perfect opportunity for a direct hit. I was knocked out instantly. 

When I woke up, I was laying in what I identified as Archie’s bed. My head was pounding and I couldn’t see out of my right eye. When I went to touch it, my fingertips came into contact with a swollen lid that was going to be out of commission for a while. 

“Here’s some Advil and water to help with the pain. And an icepack to help with the swelling.” Betty’s voice was soft. She’d been sitting on the bed next to me, I couldn’t tell you for how long. 

“Thanks. What happened? And where is everyone?” I looked around with my one eye and the room was empty except for her. I could remember everything up until I was knocked out but a big piece of my memory had been eaten by darkness.

“Well, after you blacked out, Archie got Reggie to back off and leave us alone. Then he picked you up and brought you back here. Cheryl went home, she was too shaken up about the whole thing, and I tagged along to make sure you were ok. Archie is downstairs on the phone with Veronica right now.” I could tell she was trying to keep the description of my rescue short for the purpose of maintaining my pride. Too bad she didn’t understand that my pride wasn’t my priority. 

“Oh. Well, thanks.” I responded. She looked at me, confused. 

“No, Jughead. Thank you. That Reggie was being a real creep. You really were our knight in shinning denim.” Her giggle sounded like music and she leaned in to kiss my cheek. Warmth erupted on my skin from where her lips touched and I felt better already. She was about to get up and leave, but I had to stop her.

“Betty?” She looked at me, waiting for what I would say next. “Could you stay here for a little while longer? I could use the company.” She smiled as the words left my mouth and her eyes lit up.

“Well, I do live next door. I’m sure I could stay until my mom calls me and then just zip on over there in a second.” I felt a sigh of relief escape my lungs and I decided to test my luck.

“And Betty?” 

“Yes, Jughead?” She laughed at my formality.

“Would you want to do something? Some night?” _Idiot._ I tried to sound nonchalant in asking but only sounded nervous. She paused for a moment, analyzing me, coming to a conclusion that made her beam and made my heart flutter. 

“I would love that, Jughead.”

And that is how I got my first date with Betty Cooper.


	3. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead musters the courage to ask Betty on a date. Read what happens when this knight in shinning denim gets romantically involved with Riverdale's golden sweetheart.

The rest of that night was filled with words and laughter until Alice called in, demanding Betty’s whereabouts and that she came home immediately. Normally, kids grow anxious when parents freak out on them, but Betty handled it as though it was her 9 to 5 job; so coolly and with grace. She flashed me a sweet smile, gave me a kiss on the forehead, and told me she’d see me at school.

“Goodnight, Jughead.”

“Goodnight, Betty.” 

That night, I curled in bed and fell asleep smiling for the first time in my life. 

 

The next morning, I found Archie asleep on the couch downstairs, his phone still in hand. I nudged him awake and he woke up startled and with a snort. 

“What? Where?” He searched the room wide eyed, needing to be reoriented. 

“Relax, Bud. You fell asleep on the couch. Hopefully not while on the phone with Veronica.” I pointed to his hand and he blinked a few times, staring at me until he realized what I was referring to.

“Oh, crap. Right. No, I hung up before I passed out. I couldn’t will myself to move from the couch.” He sat up and held his head in his hands, pain beginning to seep into him. “Yeah, Ronnie was explaining something to me. Shit, my head feels like hell.”

“I got you.” I shook my head and chuckled, making my way to the kitchen to grab him Advil and water. I sat next to him and watched him pop the pills into his mouth, gulping down the glass in desperate dehydration. 

“Hey, your face doesn’t look too bad now.” He was staring at my eye, squinting to get a better look. I had completely forgotten about my deformity bestowed upon me by our lovely friend. I touched it and felt a difference from last night so I checked the closest mirror. My eye was no longer swollen but it retained its black and blue color embedded in the skin around it. Between that and the bags I had from sleep deprivation, I wasn’t at the peak of good looks but I suppose I wasn’t the type to care for aesthetics. 

 

The next day at school, I found Betty at her locker. Well, actually, I waited for her at her locker until she came to exchange textbooks. When she saw me, she actually looked excited to see me and for the first time, I felt wanted 

“Hiya, Jughead!” Her ponytail bobbed as she walked towards me and opened her locker.

“Hey, Betty.” I cleared my throat. _C’mon, idiot. Just say it._ “So, uh, this Friday night? Dinner at Pop’s?” _Terrible._

“Perfect! I can meet you there at 7 o’clock?” She shut her locker and leaned against it so she was facing me, waiting for my answer.

“Yeah, that’s great. I can do that.” My mouth stumbled over my words. I think it had to do with how close she stood to me and how beautiful she looked when she did anything. 

“Great! Walk me to class?” I heard her ask but my body refused to respond for a moment, in shock. People normally don’t display an affinity to socialize with the school weirdo. 

The rest of the week went by normal, except she sat next to me at lunch now and we laughed and conversed as though we’d known each other forever. I figured after a period of time, the fluttering in my chest would disappear when I got more comfortable with her, but every time I saw her, it was as though I was seeing light for the first time after being submerged in darkness. 

 

Friday finally came and I was back at Archie’s, staring at what clothes I had in a suitcase for the past hour. It was 6 o’clock and I was panicking. 

“Jughead Jones, freaking out over an outfit. This is a first.” I was experiencing a lot of firsts with Betty. Archie stood by me, staring at the suitcase in unison. 

“Well, I don’t know what she’s going to wear. What if I over dress? Or under dress?” 

“If I know Betty, you shouldn’t expect her in anything other than her comfortable jeans and a collard top. Also, you’re going to Pop’s”

I took Archie’s advice and dressed accordingly, which I wish I hadn’t done. I got to Pop’s early and waited in the booth facing the door, drinking coffee, which only raised my nerves. I was taking sips, my feet tapping viciously under the table, when I heard a bell chime and she walked in. To say she took my breath away would be an extreme cliché, but also an extreme truth. Her hair was down, for one, golden locks curled and cascading onto her shoulders and she was wearing a light blue dress that hugged at her waist then flowed down to just above her knees. She saw me and waved, walking my way and sliding into the booth.

“Hey, Juggy! Isn’t it a little late to be having coffee?” She looked down at my cup with an inquisitive glance. 

“Not if you don’t sleep.” I smirked and took another sip, watching her giggle and grab the menu, analyzing it. She ordered a large milkshake and fries, which we opted to share like a classic couple from the 50’s, with two straws and hands nearly touching when reaching for another fry. 

For the next few hours I sat and listened to her, admiring the way her eyes sparkled and crinkled whenever she laughed at her own joke. Her lips were oh so sweet and pink with life as they formed into different shapes with every word that sang out of her mouth and when they wrapped around her straw, I felt myself die a little. She used her hands to express herself when she spoke and her gestures were both informative and adorable, displaying the way she felt about different situations. At one point, I couldn’t help myself. I reached across the table and took her hand, feeling her soft pale skin smooth against my own, wanting to feel her against every inch of my body. She stopped midsentence, her eyes meeting mine and I could feel her body heating up as I reached for her other hand. Her mouth was slightly open, taking in air as her chest rose and fell; I swear I could see her heart beating. Time was no longer a passenger on our date and I couldn’t feel anything else but her, nor did I want to. 

I pushed the milkshake and fries to the side and cautiously leaned over the table. She mirrored my movement, egging me toward her. We were inches apart, our eyes never leaving each other’s and our breath meeting in the middle. It was all so careful. I wanted to be careful. I was afraid of doing something too sudden and scaring her away, leaving me in heartbreak. She felt delicate to even just my sight, as though staring at her for too long may cause her to shatter. 

A current, caused by the opening and closing of the entrance door, shifted a lock of her hair to the front of her eye. She didn’t move, but I refused for any part of her face to be covered and grazed my fingertips along her pink cheeks, tucking the strand back behind her ear. I didn’t retract my hand though, instead, combing my fingers through her hair so my palm was now resting on the back of her head. I watched her for any sign of discomfort but there was something dark in her eyes, hypnotizing me to come closer. Her eyelids fell, and I drifted, closing the gap between me and her waiting lips. She tasted sweet, her mouth wet and tender. My heart was pumping, threatening to beat out of my chest and I cupped her face in my palms, afraid she might disappear if I didn’t hold on. But she pulled away and bit her lip, grabbing my arms and pulling me out of the booth with her. I couldn’t tell you yet where she was taking me, but I would’ve followed her to the end of the earth. 

To be continued…


	4. Dark Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead finally get some alone time in this delicious edition. Their chemistry is igniting but there are traces of dark secrets left unexplained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED FOR THIS CHAPTER - GRAPHIC CONTENT*

She pulled me out of the booth by the fabric on my sleeves and I obeyed without hesitation. I was now understanding what it was like for Grecian warriors to be enchanted by sirens, unable to deny their desires and feeling the desperate need to satiate them – staring into Betty’s eyes had the same hypnotizing effect. I heard the chime of Pop’s entrance door and felt it shut behind me as we entered the hot summer air. The stars were out an in full bloom, shinning as brightly in the sky as Betty’s eyes did through the night. 

“Where are we going?” It really didn’t matter to me where we went but my curiosity started grabbing at me. 

“My rooftop has an amazing view of the sky. My mom and dad are away on a journalist convention for the day and won’t be coming home until tomorrow morning so we can have some privacy.” Her voice cracked at the word _privacy_ and she laughed, shaking off the embarrassment. _Funny_ – my dad was away as well, although I wish it was for a convention. I didn’t feel the want to share that with her, though.

We arrived at her front door, the air around us filling with anticipation and glee as she fumbled through her purse, searching for her house keys. I really had no experience with girls and I was afraid silence on a first date was a bad sign so I grasped for any conversation starter. 

“Are your parents gone a lot?” _Was that pervy to ask?_ She took a pause to think, looking as though she were tasting the air.

“Not too often. They go to conventions probably once or twice a month.” She found her key and unlocked the door. “What about you?” 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. My dad travels a lot. For, uh, business. My mom and sister are, um, on vacation right now.” I hated lying but the truth was sour. 

She was walking through the hall towards what looked like a kitchen when she stopped and turned around, excited about this new piece of information. “You have a sister?”

“Yeah. Her name’s Jellybean.” 

“Jughead and Jellybean.” Her voice filled with joy at the knowledge that people with these names exist. “We need more creative names in this world.” I grinned and she returned to her course, turning into the kitchen and calling behind her. “Do you want anything to drink?” I shook my head but realized she couldn’t see me.

“No, thank you.” I called back. A few moments later and she emerged from the kitchen, drink in hand.

“I figured I’d bring something we can share, just in case.” She stepped up the stairs and gestured for me to follow. We walked into her room, which was exactly how I imagined Betty Coopers room to look – frilly and light pink. Through her window, I could see Archie’s room but he wasn’t there – probably out with Veronica. 

Betty set down her drink and jangled open her window, the sound of wind came at a hush. She picked back up her drink and slid her body through the frame, disappearing below. For a moment, I panicked, thinking she’d just jumped down 2 stories, but her head popped up and gaped at me. 

“You coming?” She disappeared again and I heard her voice sounding distant. “Don’t fall behind, Jughead!” 

I poked my head through the windowsill and looked down, seeing the roof of the garage only a few feet below, but Betty was no longer there. Then I heard a rattle from above and saw Betty skillfully climbing a ladder, timing her grab and release with one hand perfectly while balancing her drink in the other. I immediately chased after her, hurrying up to climb the ladder behind her so that if she fell, I’d hopefully be able to catch her. We reached the top and I realized that there was a portion of the roof that plateaued even though, looking at the house from below, it looked like it all extended to a point. There was a blanket laid out on the flat surface waiting for us and I realized that Betty must do this often. She walked over to it and sat down, placing the drink by her side before collapsing backwards onto the fabric. I joined her, looking up at the sky while she spoke. 

“This is like my safe haven. Whenever I get upset or stressed, I’ll come up here and try to relax.” She sat back up and grabbed her drink, taking big gulps. Then she held it toward me. “Have some.” It sounded more of a demand then a suggestion but I listened and sat up as well, taking a sip, recognizing the drink as the bitter taste of a vodka tonic. I laughed.

“I would have never imagined Betty Cooper, the idol girl of Riverdale, to be a drinker.”

“We all have our dark secrets.” She searched my eyes before returning the drink to her grasp, pulling more liquor into her mouth and swallowing it. 

We shared the drink back and forth like that for the next half hour, talking and laughing until the glass was empty. Betty must have poured more than the recommending serving size of vodka because despite only drinking half a glass, I was feeling the tingles. It felt good. 

Then our voices went silent and the space was suffocated with tension. Betty grazed her fingertips across my hand and I felt her touch travel up my arm, across my shoulder, along my neck, resting at my cheek. She felt like electricity crackling against my skin, sending delicious shocks through my nerves. We leaned into each other and our lips met once again. Our kiss felt like the joining of fire and ice, hot with an icy sting, and it almost made me drool to be filled with such pleasure. Her lips were soft and her tongue tasted like the bitter tang of our shared drink. Biting on the skin of her bottom lips felt exquisite and she’d return the favor when her time came. 

There came a slight tug at the collar of my flannel and I realized Betty was trying to lie down and pull me on top of her. Slowly, I crawled above her until she was fully reclined, our lips never parting, and grabbed at the soft skin under the hem of her dress. Every inch of her felt like velvet against my skin and her body rubbing against my groan led to my inescapable arousal. Right when I needed it, she whispered softly into my ear.

“No one can see us up here.” She grinned, unbuckling my belt, and I saw the twinkle of something dark deep in her eyes. 

I pulled away and looked at her for a moment, feeling overwhelmed with sensations and emotions. She was glowing, the type of glow where she didn’t need to smile to radiate. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were the lightest shade of coral and her skin was the color of honey – not even the strongest Grecian warrior could resist her. 

I leaned back down, this time kissing the skin on the nape of her neck. She moaned softly as I pulled and sucked and I felt her desperately ripping at my jeans, pulling them down. I was stripped down to my boxers now and I felt my face heat up, hoping that Betty couldn’t see me blushing – but she grabbed at my boxers too and pulled them down as well. My whole body was heating up and I pushed up her dress, sliding her underwear down her beautiful long legs.

She curled her fingers through my hair, scratching her nails into my scalp, sending shock waves down my spine. My heart was racing so bad that my whole body started pulsing and I decided it best not to wait any longer. I pushed into her and felt myself hit a wall before sliding in. She felt so warm and tight, wrapped around me, but I moved cautiously, afraid that at any moment, she may change her mind. She lifted her hips up toward me and wrapped her legs around my waist though, so I began pulsing back and forth, in slow, rhythmic motions. Her hands moved down to the sides of my waist and she dug her fingers into my skin, releasing a painfully pleasant feeling as she whimpered softly in my ear. I gradually pulsed faster and faster as her hands moved across my body, digging into various parts of my skin and sending pain signals throughout my body, making me more aggressive. When the pain became too much, I grabbed her wrists and slammed them down above her head, pinning her to the blanket as I thrusted deeper and watched her face respond to my body. I noticed a line of crescent moons carved into the skin of her palms but was too in the moment to make a true note of it. Sweat was dripping off my brow, falling onto the exposed skin above her breasts and I was so eager to perform, I didn’t dare slow down. I started to feel something build up in me, growing bit by bit with each thrust and my face grew concerned, not knowing what to do. 

“You’re fine. Keep going.” She groaned between huffs of breath being pumped out of her. The feeling was starting to spill so I thrusted faster until the feeling grew so strong, I stopped and felt it release from my body. I was lightheaded, panting while still inside her, trying to regain the rhythm of my breath. She smiled and pulled her hands out from my grasp, gliding them along my face. I leaned back down and kissed her before she released my waist from her leg’s grip, allowing me to fall over onto the blanket space next to her. 

We both rested like that, gasping for air under a veil of stars and darkness – not speaking but teasingly dancing our fingers around each other’s until our lids grew heavy.


	5. When the Serpent Comes Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a dream-awakening night with Betty, Jughead returns home only to come face to face with the unexpected.

“You’re home late.”

“You’re home,” I said and then fell silent. 

I had originally planned on going back to Archie’s after my date with Betty, but it seemed too much like a walk of shame. Staying at Betty’s didn’t seem like a good option either because we had already done so much, I didn’t want to seem overbearing. Or maybe it was just my nerves that kicked in and told me to get out. Either way, I left. I figured instead I would just go home and sleep alone with my thoughts but now it was apparent that that wasn’t an option. FP was in the trailer, spread out on the couch with a beer bottle in hand and the stench of criminality. 

“What, boy? A man can’t be in his own home anymore?” He had expected a more welcoming reaction from me. 

“No. I’m just surprised, is all.”

“Yeah, well, business is business. Never know when things’ll get cut short.”

I scoffed under my breath. “Right. Business.” 

A flash of anger overcame his eyes before they relaxed, and then he only stared to take me in. I stood my ground, unafraid of his rage but he simmered. “Enough about me. Why you home so late?”

“I was out.”

“No shit.” I had started him up again. He got up from the couch and stood in front of me like he was sizing me up. _Is he about to punch me?_ Then, he leaned in and squinted at my eye. “Nice shiner you got there.” His breath smelled like beer. “Bad night?”

“I walked into a door.”

He laughed like that was all he needed to call me out on my bullshit. The bottle in his hand was empty so he walked three steps over to the fridge and pulled out another beer. The empty one was tossed poorly at a garbage bag in the corner. It sat on top of the black plastic. 

“A girl, huh?” 

“What?” I was too busy staring at the bottle to remember what we had been talking about. I guess I was still a little tipsy. 

“Boy, you don’t come home from a night with an eye like that unless there’s a girl behind that black and blue.” He took a sip. “So, who’s the girl?” 

“No one.” I collapsed onto the couch, trying to keep the conversation short.

“Ah, so there _is_ someone.” He chuckled. 

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “I don’t feel like talking about this right now.” I couldn’t stop thinking about that empty beer bottle. His blood content was running through my veins as we spoke. Maybe mine was even worse. 

“Fine.” 

I heard him open the fridge once more. He came and sat down next to me, holding a crisp cold beer bottle for me to have. My veins craved for it, but I had too much pride. 

“No, thanks.” From this angle, I could see his leather jacket with that familiar green silhouette crumped onto the coffee table. 

“Suit yourself.” He set the bottle down on the counter. A ring of humidity dripped down the sides and onto the wood. I watched it, feeling my skin perspire as well. My mouth felt dry. 

We sat in silence for some time. I felt my blood pound in my head and my skin heated up. I wanted something cold and painful but to admit that by the sheer action in front of him was too much. At least for now. 

“So, business you say?” I asked. I needed to keep my mind off of it. 

“Yeah. Had some things to discuss with some other territories. It got a little rowdy. We left.” 

“A little rowdy?” I was pulled in. 

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and left a string of hesitation before he continued. “Serpents got a meeting tomorrow about it. I’d like for you to come.” 

I didn’t respond at first, I was still staring at that bottle. It took me a second to understand what he was asking. “Why would I do that?” 

He chuckled again like he understood something that I didn’t. “Think of it as another little writing project for you. We need a minute’s guy. Take down some notes. Write an article. Whatever. But it’d be nice to have a record.” His knuckles turned white from gripping onto his bottle so tight. I let the frustration in the silence exist between us a while longer, thinking of the consequences. Maybe there were none. After all, I was FP’s son. Wasn’t this my inevitable future?

The pounding in my head grew until it felt like it was just my brain beating in the reconciled rhythm of my heart. Why was it so hot? My eyes were once again drawn to the coffee table, staring at the puddle of water surrounding the glass like a pool of temptation. _What the hell?_

I grabbed the waiting beer bottle and without thinking about it, cracked the cap off on the edge of the wooden table and took a deep inhaling sip. “Alright, I’ll do it.”


	6. Who Bit The Apple?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead enters into The Serpents den, not realizing he'll soon be tricked into never leaving. 
> 
> (PS, because this is an AU, I'm taking elements from the show but using different gangs and trying on different scenarios.)

“Alright, boys and girls. Let’s calm down now.” FP was standing on the bar, calling for order as I sat in the corner on a stool. I tried to blend in with the wall as much as I could, digging my back into the corner and yanking my beanie over the top of my eyes. I wanted to be a silent watcher, unnoticed all but for the bright light from my computer screen. 

“I said calm down!” The bar cut to dead silence. FP gave one last glance at his audience before stepping down from the bar top and stepping on to a wooden platform at the front of the room. He didn’t speak at first like he was purposefully skilled at building up suspense. Everyone waited in anticipation and then he cleared his throat. “These past few day’s businesses have been,” he paused in thought, “a disappointment.” The crowd collectively groaned as FP continued. “Now hold on, it’s not all bad. We met with the neighboring territory with what I thought was a no-brainer. An extremely good offer for them and definitely for us. I was even hopin’ that the way we presented the offer may persuade them immediately.’” FP gave the crowd a grim smile and they all cheered until he ordered them to hush up again. “But, the conversation seems to need more time than we initially thought. The Lions are hesitant to bite down on the apple and from what I’ve gathered, there’s another deal in the works that they may want in on. So, we just gotta’ nudge them a little more. Convince them that this is the one and only deal they _better _take.” The crowd liked the sound of that. They whistled catcalls and hissed with joy.__

____

____

I wasn’t paying attention so much to the sentiment as to the individual words. I listened to each one separately as if they were their own individual speech within themselves and I didn’t want to miss even one. FP continued his speech, riling up The Serpents and letting them know that their next “business meeting” was in the works but would be scheduled whether The Lions liked it or not. To be truthful, even if I tried to listen to his words as a whole rather than individually, I wouldn’t understand him any better. I’d made it a point all my life to separate my reality from his and that included understanding as little of The Serpents terminology and happenings as possible. I didn’t even understand what it is they did, and in that way, I thought I was protecting myself. The less I knew, the better. But I guess there was always a small part of me, even if it was just a sliver, that wanted to know. 

“Hey, kid,” some voice said. I was too busy typing at lightning speeds to pay attention to it. Then it repeated itself, “Hey! Kid!” The voice now shouted in my ear. 

Startled, I nearly tossed the computer out of my lap. I grabbed my beanie by the ends, for some reason feeling like it was being yanked off my head, but no one was grabbing it. I suppose it was just learned conditioning. 

“Kid?” The voice was singing now in that sarcastic tone that meant _are you fucking deaf? ___

____

____

I twisted my head toward the voice. Behind the bar was a heavy-set woman with a mustache. She was holding a bottle of brown liquid in her hand. The bottle had a snake curling up the neck to the nozzle – the snake's tongue was sticking out as though it were going to take a sip. 

“Yes?” I responded after finally realizing she had been talking to me. 

“You wanna’ drink?” Her breath smelled like warm beer, or maybe that was just the bar itself, and her voice was slurred like her accent came from the land of perpetually drunk. 

I stared at the bottle in her hand, that bittersweet ache filling up my chest. Saliva filled up space in the back of my jaw behind my molars and I swallowed it down. I looked up at FP, watching his mouth move to all of the words that I was not recording, then looked back at the bottle and responded to the woman. 

“No. Thanks.” 

She shrugged and returned to wiping down the decayed wood of the bar. 

I once again returned my attention to FP, watching his mouth move and then hearing his words. I placed my fingertips onto my keyboard again ready to type, but just as I was about to, FP made eye contact with me and I heard his words as a whole for the first time since I sat down on this creaky barstool. 

“And I am proud to say that we have a new member to our family. Family of my own as a matter of fact.” He had his thumbs tucked into the pockets of his jeans and puffed out his chest with pride, smiling at me. “My son, Jughead Jones, will be joining The Serpents as our official recorder, or whatever you call them people.” 

Suddenly, my hearing muffled and I couldn’t understand anything else that was being said. Instead, I heard a high pitch squeal like someone was setting off a dog whistle that I could somehow hear. FP’s mouth was still moving, and the crowd had now turned to me with smiles or frowns of either disagreement or habit. There came a muffled loud noise – what I assumed was cheer and applause because I saw everyone’s hands slapping together. I didn’t realize that The Lions were the only ones being extorted into a deal. 

I shut my laptop, shoved it in my bag, and ran out the door with absolutely zero expression or emotional response. As I burst through the back door, I heard a chorus of laughter erupt from behind me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and went through my contacts. Betty’s number was glaring at me through the bright light on the screen. I wanted nothing more than to call her and retreat to her arms but that wasn’t a choice. There was no way for me to explain why. 

I scrolled back through my contacts and called the next best option. 

“Hey, Jughead. What’s up?”

“Hey, Arch.”


End file.
